The Financial Action Task Force (FATF), in its joint meeting with the Financial Action Task Force for the Middle East and North Africa (FATF-MENA), held in Paris from 24 to 29 June 2018, discussed the Kingdom's mutual assessment report on AML/CFT and the proliferation of armaments Prepared by international experts from the two sides. According to a statement issued by the group, the report prepared was based on a methodology for the mutual evaluation of FATF standards and included key findings, recommendations and actions that take into account the effectiveness of AML/CFT procedures and the Kingdom's compliance with standards, and the Group is expected to issue the report, in September 2018, according to internal procedures. The report passed through several stages in which representatives of all parties concerned with AML/CFT and the proliferation of armaments, in the Kingdom participated with the Standing Committee against Money Laundering and the mutual evaluation process is one of the most important procedures, related to obtaining permanent membership in the group. For his part, the Governor of the Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency (SAMA), who is also the Chairman of the Standing Committee for Combating Money Laundering Dr. Ahmed bin Abdulkarim Al-Khulaifi expressed thanks and appreciation of all concerned parties, involved in combating money laundering, financing of terrorism and proliferation of armaments and other relevant committees, in the Kingdom, for their cooperation with the Standing Committee against Money Laundering. The Kingdom has already received an invitation from the FATF to set up international standards, procedures and policies to combat money laundering and terrorist financing and the proliferation of armaments, in order to obtain membership. The Council of Ministers has also approved the commencement of accession procedures to the international community as the Kingdom was invited to recognize the status it occupies, at the international and regional levels, its strategic weight in the region, and appreciation of the efforts and actions taken by the Kingdom, in combating money laundering, financing of terrorism and proliferation of arms.
